Midnight Lute, shown here after winning his second Breeders' Cup Sprint, was named after a legendary University of Arizona basketball coach. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire unless otherwise noted)

March Madness reaches its conclusion on Monday when the 2016 NCAA Tournament Championship game tales place. This year's tournament again had the the buzzer-beaters, upsets, heartbreak and Cinderella stories that are synonymous with college basketball. 

This year's tournament had strong links between some of the teams and the sport of horse racing - namely, the actual names of horses and their connections to collegiate basketball programs. Below, you’ll find some of the more notable horses and their ties to some of the teams who competed in this year's NCAA championship. 

In the Dance (Some of the best names tied to teams in the NCAA tournament)

Big Blue Kitten: One of the more successful and popular horses in racing over the past two years (he was 2015’s U.S. champion turf male), this horse’s name pays tribute to Big Blue Nation and the fans of the University of Kentucky. The school has won an incredible eight national titles and has made the Final Four on 17 occasions. In recent years, several horses have been named after Kentucky’s coach, John Calipari, including Calipari’s Kitten and Caliparty. 

BIG BLUE KITTEN WINNING THE 2015 UNITED NATIONS

Keightley: It should come as no surprise that many horses, especially those bred in the Bluegrass State, share names with links to Kentucky basketball. We won’t run through all of them but this one was too good not to mention. Keightley, the horse, ran for the first time earlier this month. He was named after the late Bill Keightley, the beloved equipment manager for the university’s basketball team for 48 years.

Russdiculous: We can’t ignore our friends at the University of Louisville, despite the fact that the team won’t dance this year after self-imposing an NCAA Tournament ban. The school does have many ties to racing names and Russdiculous is perhaps the funniest. The nickname was given to Cards’ point guard, Russ Smith, by coach Rick Pitino. The coach then used “Russdiculous” as a name for one of the horses he owned as RAP Racing. Pitino has also named other horses he’s owned after his players, including Gorgui (Gorgui Dieng), Three Point Luke (Luke Hancock) and Siva (Peyton Siva).

Testudo: This horse was named after the mascot for the University of Maryland - a No. 5 seed in the South region of the NCAA Tournament. Maryland is well represented when it comes to horses, including several who were foaled by the university’s undergraduate Equine Studies program: Diamondback Fire, Blazing Terp (in reference to the school’s nickname) and Maryland Miracle. Other horses tied to the school’s athletics include Bioterp and Lady Terp. 

Seton Hall: While Seton Hall might not sound as creative as some of the others on this list, the horse named after the private college in South Orange, N.J., is the son of a mare (female horse) named New Jersey. The horse won his first ever career race back in 2010 but has only won twice since then. Things are looking better for the basketball squad, which dances into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed after capturing the Big East Championship last week. 

Tar Heel Mom: The top team in the ACC and a tournament #1 seed, North Carolina is well represented on this list by Tar Heel Mom. This mare was a star, winning multiple graded stakes en route to racking up $832,892 in earnings. The North Carolina Tar Heels will be looking to earn their 19th Final Four and sixth National Championship.

Midnight Lute: This horse was a fan favorite and earned more than $2.5-million during his career. He was named after Lute Olson, the University of Arizona basketball coach, who was known for his kick for signing recruits at the last possible moment. A No. 6 seed this year, the Wildcats are headed back to the tournament looking for its second ever NCAA title. 

MIDNIGHT LUTE

Boalt Hall: It’s safe to say that this horse “graduated” with flying colors when he won his first career race back in January. It was a fitting start to a career for a horse named after the building that houses the School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. Cal heads to the dance this year as a No. 4 seed and is looking for its first national championship since 1959. 

Bubble Teams (Horses connected to schools not in the NCAA Tournament this year)

Larry the Legend: This horse won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 2 San Rafael Stakes. He also shared a nickname with the greatest player in the history of Indiana State University, Larry Bird. 

Columbia Lion: You won’t find Columbia University in the NCAA tournament but someone thought highly enough of the New York Ivy League school to name a horse after it and its athletic program. The horse ran a total of 18 races and won three times.

Gator Chomp: Named after the famous gesture made by Florida Gator fans, this horse was often on the receiving end of other horses’ chomp. He won only twice in 52 starts. Florida’s men’s basketball team didn’t have a great year either, but has a proud history in the NCAA Tournament - appearing 19 times, making 5 final fours and winning it all twice.

Woo Pig Sooie: This horse is all-Arkansas. He was bred in the state and named after the University of Arkansas’ famous rallying cry. While the Razorbacks didn't make the dance this year, its neighbors at Arkansas-Little Rock did make the tournament as a No. 12 seed. 

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS' MASCOT BOSS HOG

By Brandonrush - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9469887

Roll Tide Roll: There have actually been three horses who’ve been given this name over the years. The name is another tribute to a rallying cry, this one for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Along with several other SEC teams, Alabama is known more for its football program. 

Fournette: Another football connection here. This 3-year-old colt hasn’t raced yet but fans of Louisiana State University might want to keep an eye on him. He was named after one of LSU’s biggest athletic stars, running back Leonard Fournette. The Tigers’ men’s basketball team has made the NCAA Tournament 21 times and was home to Shaquille O’Neal from 1989-1992. 

Rub the Rock: Anyone familiar with Clemson University knows about Howard’s Rock outside of the school’s football stadium, which players rub before running down the hill and onto the field. This isn’t tied to the school’s basketball team but it was too good not to mention. Rub the Rock, the horse, has won three times and is currently based in Maryland.